SUMMERSCAPE OPERA
New Production
Music by Richard Strauss
Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Directed by Christian Räth
American Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein
Sung in German with English supertitles
July 24 – August 2
“Botstein, and his annual opera production at Bard, seem more invaluable by the year.” —The New York Times
A hypnotic blend of myth, melodrama, and psychological intrigue, Richard Strauss’s seldom heard The Egyptian Helen (Die ägyptische Helena) receives a lavish, rare U.S. staging at Bard SummerScape.
Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal reimagine the Helen myth, set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, as a tale of doubling: a phantom Helen returns to Troy, while the real, faithful Helen has been spirited away from harm. The vengeful husband, Menelaus, surrenders to love; the unfaithful Helen renews her devotion. The opera unfolds as a rich exploration of the complexities and contradictions of love, sexuality, and marriage.
Director Christian Räth (Meyerbeer’s Le prophète, Strauss’s The Silent Woman, Korngold’s The Miracle of Heliane) returns for his fourth Bard SummerScape to helm a full production of this neglected Strauss masterpiece. In Räth’s visionary staging, the mystical sorceress Aithra becomes the director of Helen and Menelaus’s story, seeing Helen as her alter ego and transforming the opera into a prism of fame, fantasy, and the creation of identity.
Making her SummerScape debut, the “compelling” (The New York Times) soprano Ambur Braid makes her role debut as Helena, joined by SummerScape Opera favorites: the “incredible” (OperaWire) tenor John Matthew Myers (Smetana’s Dalibor) as Menelaus and the “bright and earnest” (The New York Times) soprano Jana McIntyre (Strauss’s The Silent Woman) as Aithra. Anchored by the American Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Leon Botstein, this production continues Bard’s decades-long tradition of showcasing rare operatic gems with artists of the highest caliber.
Direction Christian Räth
Scenic Design Christian Räth and Daniel Unger
Costume Design Mattie Ullrich
Lighting Design Tyler Micoleau
Projection Design Elaine J. McCarthy
Choreography Catherine Galasso
Hair and Makeup Design Brittany Rappise
Helena
Menelaus
Aithra
Altair
Omniscient Seashell
A native of Hamburg, director Christian Räth is renowned throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States. His work takes him to many of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera New York, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala Milan, Opéra national de Paris, New National Theatre Tokyo, and the Royal Opera House London.
Recent projects include his debut with Gothenburg Opera directing Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and the world premiere of Toshio Hosokawa’s new opera Natasha for New National Theatre Tokyo; Meyerbeer’s Le prophète (2024), Strauss’s The Silent Woman (2022), and Korngold’s The Miracle of Heliane (2019) at Bard SummerScape; Der Freischütz and Macbeth at the Wiener Staatsoper; Le Baron Tzigane at the Grand Théâtre de Genève; L’italiana in Algeri at Portland Opera; and the direction and design of Kiss Me, Kate for the Haut école de musique de Genève, in collaboration with the Théâtre du Galpon, Geneva. Räth has conceived and directed several unique historical events in Egypt, including “The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade,” celebrating the journey of 22 royal mummies through the city of Cairo, and the opening ceremony of the antique “Sphinx Road” at Luxor. These productions involved more than a thousand participants and were broadcast worldwide. He was also the artistic director of the “Silver Jubilee” at the Royal Court of Jordan in 2024.
Preshow Opera Talk
Sunday, July 26 at 12 pm
Free and open to the public; reservations required
Maestro Leon Botstein delivers a talk on Richard Strauss’s rarely heard opera ahead of its Sunday, July 26 performance.
Lead support for the Bard SummerScape production of The Egyptian Helen has been generously provided by the Howard & Sarah D. Solomon Foundation.
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Eat & StayBard College’s main campus is located in Annandale-on-Hudson (a hamlet of Red Hook), New York, on the east bank of the Hudson River, about 90 miles north of New York City and 220 miles southwest of Boston. The Taconic State Parkway and the New York State Thruway provide the most direct routes to our campus. Click the Google map below, or get directions by entering the following address into your GPS: 60 Manor Avenue, Red Hook, NY 12571.
From the East
If you are traveling from east of the Hudson River in New York State, take the Taconic State Parkway to the Red Hook / Route 199 exit, drive west on Route 199 through the village of Red Hook to Route 9G, turn right onto Route 9G, drive north 1.9 miles, turn left onto Annandale Road, then turn right onto Manor Ave.
From the West
If you are traveling from west of the Hudson River, take the New York State Thruway (I-87) to exit 19 (Kingston), take Route 209 (changes to Route 199 at the Hudson River) over the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge to Route 9G, turn left onto Route 9G, drive north 3.5 miles, turn left onto Annandale Road, then turn right onto Manor Ave.
Sosnoff Theater
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